Wire-tension mechanism



S. C. CARY WIRE TENSION MECHANISM March 3, 1931.

Filed May 2. 1924 a Sheets-Sheet 1 March 3, 1931. s. c. CARY WIRE TENSION MECHANISM Filed May 2, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 3, 1931. s. c, CARY v ,7

WIRE TENSION MECHANISM Filed May 2, 1924 SSheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPENCER o. CAR-Y, or BROOKLYKVNEW roan, r ssrenen, BY ME-SNE nssrenlvin-nrs, r0 THE ennnnnn COMPANY, INC, on SAN rn-enorsoq-cemronnm, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE Application filed May 2,

V This 'invei'ition is a means for placing under tension a wire in the operation of handing a box, package,or other shipping container.; 1

i by pulling thereon in two directions, whereby the slack is taken up quickly'and the bandis drawn so, tightly around the packagethat 1t is not displaceable therefrom in the ordinary handling or use of said package. In fact,

the band compresses the package andthus adds materially to the stability of saidpackage. Further, theband is embeddedin the corners of the package so as to be interlocked therewith, and thusretained by the package. itself from slipping off should the package become decreased in cross sectional area due to shrinkage of the cheap material, usually wood, composing said package.

A further object is to utilize bands of predetermined lengths, usually composed of wire, and adapted tor the expeditious application to packages, which packa-ges may be uniform asto size and shape, as is the case in large packing and shipping establishments.

Said bands may, however, vary in length according to .the sizes of different packages to be bound with wire or other metal strapping.

In a practical embodiment of my tension mechanism, it includes a plurality of heads rotatable on a common axis, each of said pulling heads being provided with aband gripping device and one of said heads being provided, also with a band stop; Said stop operates to arrest the movement of a band when the end portion thereof is introduced.

into the machine forengagement with said band-pulling device.

The band gripping device on one head embodies-a plurality of members positioned in cooperative relation to each other and adapted for mutual engagement with a band for holding the same securely and to prevent it from slipping under the pull of the head. Said members are usually provided with WIRE-TENSION MECHANISM 1924., Serial No. 710,695. 7

teeth on the faces which are opposed one to the other, and said members arein the form of movable grippers each of which is pivoted formovement relatively to the other, and one or both of said pivoted members'or grippers isadapted toreng agementwith bands'ot dii being spring actuated. The pulling device terent kinds,such as plain round wire bands or plain flat wire bands, or shouldered wire.

bands, with either of which forms ot-bands the co operating grippers are adapted to engage so securely that no slipping occurs under the grippers, the latter being yieldable to the wire when moved in a direction to introduce said wire into the machine.

It is desirable-1n a tension device of this character to limit the insertion ol -the. band with respect to the members or grippers on the rotatable pulling head, I and more particularly is it desirable to deflect the end portion of the bandrelatively to the stopping member when the pulling head is turned or rotated in a backward direction for restoring thepulling head and the grippers to normal position. he'stopp-ing device employed in the present instance is a piece attached to the pulling head in a position to lie in the path of the band and adapted for contact with the extremity of said band when the latter is thrust between the grippers. Such a sto pinghdevice is useful for determining the extent to which a shouldered band may be course, that the stopping device is'usefu'l also for arresting the introductory movement of bands.

.My invention consists, further, in a novel form of the other of said two pulling heads plain round wire bands and plain flat wirev adapted for the fixed attachment thereto of a binder, either plain round wire or plain flat wire, said head having a notch into which an end portion of the band may be bent by hand. Said head carries a dog positioned adjacent the notch therein, which dog is pivoted to the head for gripping engagement with the band upon the rotative movement of the head in one direction, whereby the dog and the notched head co-operate in retaining the band from slipping when tension is applied by said rotative movement of the head. Upon the rotative movement of the head in an opposite direction, i. e. in a direction to return the head to normal position, the dog is released automatically from the band, and this release is occasioned by contact of the dog with a member in the form of a stud or post which is positioned in the path of the dog for contact therewith.

The tension mechanism includes means for directingthe opposite end portions of a band into positions for'engagement with the respective'pulling heads. Said tension mechanism includes, also, means for retaining the band under the tension or strain applied thereto so that the tension mechanism as a whole may be returned tonormal position while said band remains under tension, where'- by a lever of the tension means may be employed for holding the machine steadily in position for the performance by other mechanism of the tying machine of the operations of tying the end portions of a looped band andof cutting from thelooped'band the surplus material, the cutting operations being performed at points closejto the tie or twist resulting from the tying operation.

Other functions and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of a tying machine 'ith my tension mechanism associated with other parts, comprising the tying machine.

Figure 2 is an elevation looking at the left hand side of the machine, with a shouldered band thrust into engagement with the grippers of the left hand pulling head, the latter being shown in a normal position.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the parts of the tension mechanism illustrated in Figure illustrating in full lines the left hand pulling head rotated through an arc of about 90, while the dotted lines show said pulling head reversed and returned to normal position with the. band under tension and with the extremity of said band projected beyond the gripping mechanism of said "pull- Figure l is an elevation of the machine looking toward the right hand pulling head, with the la ter in normal position.

Figure 5 is a diagraimnatic view ofthe right hand pulling head rotateo tillOllgll an arc. of-

of the tension mechanism.

about 90 and showing in dotted lines the pulling head returned to normal position and with the bent end of the band projected to a position free from the pulling head.

Figure 6 is approximately a vertical see tion on the line 6 S of Figure l.

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective View of one of the anchor blocks for a direction sheave Figure 9 is a detail view of the band stopping device adapted to be carried by the left. hand pulling head.

Figure 10 is a detail section of one of the band holding dogs on the line 10-1O of Figure 7.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary detail of the twisting means used in the tying machine.

Figure 112 is a perspective view of a. completed loop with its end portions tied by twisting thesame and cutting off the ends.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view of the left hand pulling head showing the band gripper in normal position ready to receive an end portion ofthe band.

Figure 14 is a similar view of the left hand pulling head illustrating the gripping means in engagement with a plain round wire.

A tying machine with my band tensioning mechanism is illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, of the drawings, wherein A is the machine frame having a. base plate a and bearings b for a horizontal shaft B. The base plate is of suitable dimensions for the accommodation of the several working parts of the machine, said base plate having a forwardly extending member 6- with an inclinec top face 0, see Figures 9. and l, adapted to serve as a directing member by which a band, usually a round wire, is adapted to be placed by hand into certain horizontal slots, the positions of which are indicated at- (Z provided in the forward ends of bearings b 6, see Figure 7. The bearings I) b of the frame work: are parallel, as shown in Figures 1 and i". so as to leave a space betv r reception of the pillar plates ward ends of which are cesses adapted to serve journals (Z of atwister 1 ion and its journals be" longitudinal slot (5 respect the g wi .i the periphery three-1' 7. Against the cutememb Z 7) E E, one on ea D, said shea with the slot (Z of'bearings b and er pinion D.

F F are ne of which is:

anchor blocks, '0 ..al in Figure 8. "Sand anchor is shown in (le 5 blocks are fitted against tl outer sines of block is provided with-a projecting lug h performing, the function of a guide for the band,

. Whereas the slot? jot/said anchor block houses 'a direction.sheave H, the: lsa me being mounted for rotation; *eely on a vertical axis h supported by the anchor -block... There are twowhrect n sheaves, One'on' eitherside of the twis; eisD, and these sheaves:

are positioned in such relation to the slots 0 d d that a. band is adaptedto be passed tliroughasai cl slots and to' contact; friction-f,

ally with the edgeportions of said sheaves.

The shaft B affords a support for a large; gear I,;;tl'1e hub o f which is mounted loosely on the shaft between the bearingsb 7).

ing socket .member .2" in which is, fixedly secureda lever I having a hand grip i a A curved guardwplatel -is positioned over the gear I and its ends are secured fixedly tothe bearings b,b. g;

J J are cutter blades or knives positioned in shearing relation; to the slotted shearplates E E,;one cutter beingateither side of the twister pinion, and said cutters being piv-. oted by pinsj to the-shear, plates for rocking movement relativelythereto The cutters areprovided withcutting edges-so fashioned that they operate'on theseparate lengths or end portions of the looped band. The cutters are held .in p'ositionrby, springs'y" anchored at y at one end on the machine frame, and said cutters are in the path of cam studs 7' carried by the gear I andextending' out wardly therefrom, wherebylthe cam studs are adapted to ride against the cutters for imparting movement thereto in timed relation to the action of the twister upon'the end portions ofa looped band. v

The tension mechanism forthe band embodies a plurality ,of pulling heaidsK, L, and an operating lever O. Said pulling heads are mounted on theshaft B, at or near the opposite ends thereof,said-headsbeing made fast in a desired manner with said shaft, as by set screws, whereby the heads and the shaft are rotatable as a unit. The heads K,

L, are constructed for the attachment of the opposite end portions of a band for pulling whereby the anchorblocks,' the shear,

Said gear 18 111 mesh-wltlrthe twister pinion D, and said gear 1s provided with anoflstandon's aidgband intwo' directions so as to quickly take up the slackin the band after it shall have been formed by manual manipulation intoxai-loopiwhich may besaid to'en'circle the object, said-heads operatinggto also pull the band for i placing "thereon any degree of tension. ideterminedzby the operator and whichis or must the that tension requiredstoem whereby two important functions are attained first, the'bandis applied tightly upon the package with a view to compressing it,

moreor -less, -so that the band adds materially to the; stability of :the package, and, second, the-abandzand the packagega-re interlocked'by bedtheband-into thecorners of the package,

embedding said band into the corners of-the I package, thus preventing the band from slidingr off the package shouldthe wood shrink to suchaniextent as to loosen the band around The, head K is providedavith axmeniberinthejformwof webik extending outwardly ;therefrom;andavith asleev'e is", into which sleeve is; secured an end of lever arm.O,.the

outeri'end Jot-which lever, arm; is provided Onthememberk of theheadik are ed ;the; jmembers of a vband-gripping ;device[ which isengageable-with a plain round wire. L as; in Eigure -14,- or with :a, shouldered band,

as in Figures2, 3 and 7. Said band-gripper c embodies a'plurality: of dogs 1P1 separately pivoted at .91 pf" whereby the-dogs are. mov ableindepen'dently of each other The dogs are; shown as, being positioned in facing rela- .tion, and-the opposingedges of'said dogs are roughened, toothed or serrated at 77 The dQgyP in thenormalposition of thepulling head K isabov'e the dog Pi. Said dogP is under thejinfluence or jcontrolof aspring 19 whereas the; dogzl 1 is, actuated b a gravity anditsplay or movement isjlimitediby stop pins 1p? attached to member la of the pulling headlK at \pointsjon opposite-sides of said, p1vo ted;dog P;-, i w The dogs are yieldable'tothe end thrust of,

a band whenthee'latter is forced in a: direction between the dogs, but a pull on the band in the opposite direction is resisted by, the dogs, the serrated faces of which, act to grip the bandso firmly that a movement of the band relative to dogs in one direction is resist ed or in factprecluded, To facilitate the in-, sertionof the band when used either as a plain round Wire or as a shouldered wire, 1

position the dogs P P so that the serrated faces 19 are relatively inclined, with the result; that a tapering space is formed between the faces 19 :This space is sufficiently wide at, one end-*fori thejwire; to enter freely, the width of the-space exceedingthe diameter of the wire. As the'wire is shovedlintoposition by an endWise movement, the end of the wire contacts tllBq-SQIIMBCl faces of the dogs,}and thedater turnson the pivots p "19 the "dogs beingyieldable to the insertion of the wire when moved in one direction. 5'

In connection with .the head K and the bandgripper. carried thereby,'I find it desirable to employ a'stopping device Q, operating, to arrest the forward movement of the band when it is'introduced intothe machine, so that said band will be engaged automatically with the band gripper of head K. Said device is useful,'particularly, in determining the movement .of that form of band having a flattened section an and shoulders w, as shownin Figures 2, 3 and 7, to

' theend that the introduction of the band he tween the gripping dogs P 'P is arrested by stop Q at suchaperiod of its introductory movement that the noses of the dogs will engage rearwardly of the band shoulders, see Figure 2, whereby the dogs have engagement with the band not only by reasonof the serrated faces becoming embedded, more or less, into the band, but the'nose of eachdog lodges back of a shoulder to the end that the dogs so securely: grip the band that no slipping of the band'can take place regardless of the amount of pull or strain applied by the pulling head to the band. The stopping'device in a practical form of construction is shown in detailin Figure 9, and applied in an operative position-in Figures 2, 3 and 7 of the drawings. As there shown, the stopping device Qis in the form of aplate with a curved or beveled edge 9, and it is provided with a flange g at one edge and with a thickened lug is fitted against the edge'of member 74 on the pulling head of the plate to lie in the path I of a'band when the latter is thrust between the dogs P P, see Figures 2, 3 and 7, the

flange g and lug being on opposite sides of the band end. The stoppingdevice is fixedly attached to the head K' by screws 1 the stop Q is to limit the sidewise movement of the free end of the band with respectto the dogs'when saidband is bent around the adjacent direction sheave H in the opera- Fion of training the band-within the slotted front part of the machine and: around the package. The'utility of the beveled or curved face z of said stops? iszto aermit the em.

I i q,

tremity of the band to slip or ride over said face q when thepulling head is reversed after 9 atjthe opposite edge. This log placing tension on the band and while. said band is held under tension by certain grippers to be presently described.

The other pulling head L (on the right hand end of shaft B) is shown more particuattached end of the band from slipping relatively'to the head in the operation of placing tension on the band, I provide a single gripper R which is mounted on the member Z of the head L for movement therewith, said gripper Rbeing in co-operative relation to 'tion of turning said head and gripper for placing tension on the band, but upon the reverse movement of the head and gripper to return the tens on means to normal position, the band end is free to slide with respect to the head L and gripper R, see dotted lines in Figure 5, the band being retained under tension by certain holding means. The

gripper R- is released from the band upon the gripper from engagement with the band,

whereby said end portion of theband when severed from the loop may be removed'from the machine with facility.

In my invention, the pulling heads K L and shaft B are rotated through an are by a forward pull on lever 0, said heads pulling on the band in opposite directions for taking up slack therein and placing tension on the band'to degree determined by the worle man. During the operation of tensioning the band, it is held from slackening or relaiation by band holders in the form of dogs 1 7 ing dogs being engageable with end portions of the band at points intermediate the pulling he-ads if L and the twister pinion D.

The dogs T Uretain. the looped portion of one on each anchor block F, said, holdthe-,band against relaxation of the tension 7 i leading to pullinghead L. I v Thelevers I, O for the twisting means placed thereon, and thus the tension mechanism (heads L and lever 0) may be returned to normal position without relaxing tension on the looped band, and twister pinion C is adapted to be rotated for twisting together the terminal. portions e fthe loop while said looped band i under tension.

This method'of hold ngthe band under ten- 'slon independently of the action of the ten 'sion mechanism permits are heads K L and lever O to be turned baekwardly for the'parts to occupy a normal position during the subsequent operation of the twister and the cutters. f

This is advantageous for me reason that it enables the workman to applypressure with the hand to the lever O for holding the machine steadily in place upon the packagewhile said workman is engaged in pulling forward- 1y on th'e lever I with the other hand, as a 'the dog in a direction to 'movethe serrated tacetfinto co-operative relation .to the under face of the lip on'the, anchor block, whereby dog T- is positioned'for gripplng engagement with that part of the band leading to the pulling head K.

" 'The other band holding dog U is pivoted am to the opposite anchor block F, and like dog T, saiddog U has'ajserratedtace u and a pinu extending intoa recess of block F for engagement witha' springsimilar to springtfi whereby the dog ismoved for 1ts ser ated face to co-operate' withthe lip h of said othcranchor block and the dog is thus adapted to engage that partfof the band and the tension means are positioned in side by side relation so that. they inaybeturned the machineas in higures 1,2 and. 4;.- Each lever I" oiyQ is provided with ashort pendent post V; See Figures Zand 4-, adapted to rest upon the package, an t0, teadythe iac neinthfi ope ativ th e 1 Ilhe operation'of theniachinewill heapparentfromythe foregoing description, but it may be summariziedjas follows: With the .i'eair'wardly of theoperating mechanisms of L parts in normal'position shown b full lines in Figures 1, 2,416 and 7, and with the machine resting upon alpackagejZ, a wire band of the proper] length 'togo' around a pack age is selectedby' theoper'ator, and said band is connected with themachine and looped around the package preliminarily tooperating said machine for placingtension on the band, and twisting its ends togetherjbefore cutting surplus material from the looped band, 'lnthe drawings, I llilVQy shown a shouldered band X used in conjunction with the machine for binding or st tapping the package, said bandhavi n g near one end there ot'a fiattenedsection a" and a plurality of shouldersm, but-in Figure 1 2, I have shown machine' adapted for the use of a plain non-shouldered band consisting of a piece ot' roundstraightwire, it being optionalwith the workman to use shouldered wire or plain wir'e, either round or flat, as desired.

, he workmen inserts the shouldered or flattened end portionof the wire below the lip 71, and over the holding dog T at the side of the machine, and thrusts the handthe pulling h'eadK. T he operator now bends the band-around'the left sheave H, the lip g" of stop Q confiningthe gripped end of the band against sidewise movement relatively to dogs K, L, and in thus bending the hand around sheave H the operator places the band in the slots 6, d, 01?, of the shear plates E, the bearings b, and the twister C. That. part of the band which emerges from themachine isbent by the workman around the package Z, and the other end portion of the biillfl'lS now positioned again within the slots 0, (Z, (Z

whereuponthe unattachedend of the band is bent around the other sheave H, placed over er anchor block, bent part way around pulling head L, into engagement with thegripper dog Rand finally the extremity is, bent into notch Z ofpulling head IL The band is thus looped to encircle the package, see Figure 1, the ends thereof'lare engaged with the pulling heads K L, and two lengths the band are positioned in side by side reiationwithin the slotscd(Z ,seeFigure7; a

The wireismanipulatedprior totheop'm-m tion of the machine, and this is now donein the followingway: The operator grasps he gripi ot-lever land presses downwal Y thereon. with onehand to steady thepmachii While with the otherhandhe grasps the lever 0 and pulls upwardly andforwardly there; .ohQthusimparting 'inoti'on to shaft B and turningthe pulling headsK Lin an arc of a the dog U and under lip h of theot circle. The heads pull on the wireor band simultaneously by straining thesam'e. in o-pposite direetions,'hea'd K pulhngto the lett and head L .tothe right, thus quickly taking upth e'slack in the hand-find placing the reued breaking strain on the wire or band. lever O- and heads K L h aving been turned the quired tension thereon. At this time, the holdin' doo's TU ermit the wire or band to 'slip idly below the lips it of the anchor blocks operator pulls on lever 0 until the band is placed under SHClltGllSlOll as may be deter mined sufficient by the operator, there being no practical limit to the tension up to the The required distance, and the dogs T U being in gripping engagement with the hand, the operator now moves the lever Oin a reverse direction and thus reverses the direction of the rotation of the pulling heads K L, at which time the dogs P P permit the shouldered part of the wire to slip between them, and the bevel of the stop Q allows one extremity of the wire to slide over the stop, whereas the other extremity of the wire slips out of the notch Z of pulling head L and moves idly past the dog R, the positions of the parts and of the wire ends being shown in dotted lines in Figures 3 and 5, when the pulling heads and lever are returned to normal positions. The lever 0 having been moved back to a horizontal position rearwardly of the machine, the operator now presses down on lever O to steady the machine, and pulls upwardly and forwardly on lever I, the result of which is to rotate gear I and twister pinion C, the latter acting'to twist together the parallel parts of the wire and produce the twists m on the looped band 00 shown in. Figure 12. As the looped band is closed by twisting together its ends, by a forward movement of lever I, the studs j on the gear I are brought forward by the rotation of the gear I, and at the proper time said studs ,7' ride on the cutters J J for rocking them on their pivots and thus operating said cutters to sever surplus material from the looped band. The band is cut at points close to the twist so as to leave no protruding wire ends, and by cutting the surplus material from the loop the machine is cut loose so that it may be shoved away from the loop X, which is tightly applied to thepackage.

The operations of training a wire or'hand around the package and of manipulating the machine are performed rapidly andeasily by the workman. The wire or band is applied tightly and its ends securely locked and sealed. The machine is light in weight to enable it to be carried easily from one place t2 the other, and as the workman is able to use two hands in operating the machine, a days work or" strapping boxes is accomplished without undue fatigue on the part of the workman.

Having thus fully described the invention,

end portions of said band into position for engagement by said band-gripping means.

In a tension device, a movable head. a

band-gripping device 'movable therewith adapted to grip the band on insertion therein and stopping means secured to said head 5 and also movable therewith for limiting the insertion of a band with respect to said head and the gripping device.

3. In a tension device, a movable head, a

adapted to grip the band on insertion therein, and stopping means carried by the head and also movable therewith and positioned in the path of a band for engagement therewith.

I. In a tension device, a rotatable head, a band-gripper carried by said head, and a stopping device carried by the head and positioned adjacent to the band-gripper so as to lie in the path of a band adapted to be engaged by said band-gripper.

5. In a tension device, a rotatable head, gripper means carried thereby, a band-directing member separate from said head, around which a band is adapted to be bent, and a band-stopping device positioned to limit sidewise movement of a band with respect to said grippermeans when said band is deflected into contact with the band-directing member.

inserted into engagement with said grip ping means, said stopping means being provided with a deflecting face over which the extremity of the band is adapted to slide when said head is turned in one direction.

band-gripping device movable therewith 90 ETV - ing member positioned in the operating in conjunction with the head to hold a band when the head is rotated in one direction and sald gripper being releasable when the head turned in a reverse direction, and band-stopping means carriedby the head for movement therewith, said bandstopping means being in co-operative relation to the band-gripper.

10. In a tension device, a rotatable head, a band-gripper rotatable therewith and op erable to grip a band when the head is turned in one direction, means for releasing said gripper fromaband upon a reverse move ment of the gripperwith the head, and bandstopping means in operative relation to the l and-gripper for arresting the extent to which a band is inserted into said bandgripper. i v

11. In. a tension device, a rotatable head, a band-gripper pivoted thereto, and a releaspath of the gripper and operable to shift the latter from engagement with a band upon the return of the head and the'gripper to normal.

12. In a tension device, anchor blocks provided with band-directing projections, banddirecting sheaves mounted adjacent said projections, means for tensioning a band, and band-holding members movably attached to the anchor blocks for co-operation with said projections.

13. In a tension device, anchor blocks provided with a fixed member and carrying a movable member co-operable with said fixed member for holding a band against relaxation of tension thereon, said fixed member being in overhanging relation to the movable member and said fixed member and the movable member being co-operable with each other in directing a band in a definite path to a tension means, combined with means for placing tension on the band. 7

14. In a tension device, anchor blocks pro vided with fixedband holding members, movable band holding members co-operable with said fixed members, and directing sheaves mounted on the anchor blocks, in combina tion with tension members movable relatively to said band holding members for pulling a band to place tension thereon.

15. Tension means for a package banding machine embodying a plurality of pulling heads rotatable concurrently for pulling the respective end portions of a looped band, and a plurality of grippers separately pivoted to one of said heads for engagementwith one end portion of the looped band, said grippers beingirelatively positioned for the opposing faces thereofto produce an intervening'space the width of which 'exceeds'the normal diameter of the band. r

16. Tension means for a package banding machine embodying a plurality of heads rotatable concurrently for pulling on the respective end portions of alooped band, and a plurality of grippers pivoted independently of each other to one of said heads and rotatable therewith, said plurality of grippers being movable relatively to each other and said grippers being provided with gripping faces related to each other to produce a tapering space the width at one end of which space exceeds the normal diameter of the band.

17. Tension means for a package banding machine embodying a plurality of heads movable arcuatively and concurrently for pulling the respective end portions of a looped band, and a gripper carried by one of said heads,

said gripper including a plurality of bandengaging members separately pivoted to said one head and said pivoted members being relatively movable for introduction of a band end between them.

18. In a tension device forpackage bands, a pulling head, an automatic band gripper movable therewith, and a band stopping device positioned in co-operative relation to the band gripper.

In testimony whe'reofI have hereto signed my name this 28 day of April, 1924.

SPENCER C. CARY. 

